I have found that my work is so much more efficient as a nanny if the home is

1) baby proofed
2) already has a dedicated play space. this need not be anything fancy, but has made all the difference through colder months.

I agree w one of the previous posters, if you end up hiring someone less experienced, it might be nice to add a few extras to the crafting/activities repertoire she has to work with. even an experienced nanny appreciates occasional nudges in the direction of staying active, sometimes this just means knowing some of what your child(ren) enjoy during non-nanny time

As far as art supplies, I think that provided you have some very basic items (crayons, white paper, colored paper, glue, finger paints), you can just leave some cash for the nanny and let her know that that is what it's for and she can purchase more as she needs it for a specific project (e.g., getting stickers for a seasonal holiday gift for a friend or grandparent, getting ingredients for homemade Plato, that sort of thing).

If she will be starting in the spring, then the first thing I would do would be to provide a zoo membership. If she is starting in cold-weather months, then I would say that something more indoor focused like a local gym that's has some open play times would be a better choice. Do you have an Our Kids membership? If you are in the DC area, then that is an awesome resource for free or pay-as-you-go activities.

OP again. Thank you for your suggestions. This is exactly what I was looking for.

If you hire a more experienced nanny, she really should be able to set up daily activities, play dates, etc. If you hire a nanny with less experience, it might be a good idea to take the initiative to plan some activities in the beginning. It is always a good idea to ask the candidates what types of activities they would do with your one year old. This will give you an idea of their experience and what type of involvement they would have in playing with your child.
It is always a good idea to supply art and craft supplies, water tables, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, etc.
Memberships to the zoo, aquarium, kid gym and music classes are always good ideas.
Good luck!

OP here. Thanks for your input. What do I need to provide or setup for the nanny? Should I be scheduling play dates and classes and story times? Should the nanny take the initiative to do this? Do I need to buy things similar to pre-schools for learning/art?

Play, play and more play.

Children learn by exploring and discovering.

Sensory table, toddler classes, playground, messy art, reading, more reading, story times, playgroups, puzzles

What do you do with your son?

We are about to hire a nanny. What types of activities should my future nanny engage in with my 1-year old during a typical day?